If The Person You Love Has Social Anxiety, Here Are 6 Ways You Can Support Them
Here's what you should know about loving someone with social anxiety.
getty Does the person you love have social anxiety disorder? If your partner has social anxiety, the first step to supporting them is to understand what it is.
So, what is social anxiety disorder? It's a type of anxiety disorder characterized by fear of negative evaluation or humiliation, concerns about the judgments of others, and worry that one will be rejected.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, it's one of the most common anxiety disorders, affecting around 15 million people in the United States.
Most people experience a bit of social anxiety from time to time, such as when we walk into a room full of people we do not know or when we have to stand up and give a speech in front of others.
But, social anxiety can become problematic and might even be diagnosed as an anxiety disorder when it causes substantial interference in one's life.
Many socially anxious people avoid situations in which they might be evaluated by others, which can then cause a host of occupational, academic, and interpersonal limitations. Because the central feature of social anxiety disorder is worrying about the opinions of others, it's logical that social anxiety could have effects on romantic relationships.
Several years ago, I conducted research on social anxiety and romantic relationships, in which I had couples engage in videotaped conversations about neutral, conflictual, and positive topics. I found that during conversations about conflictual topics, socially anxious people demonstrated many more negative behaviors than people who were not socially anxious.
For example, they often gave the sense that they didn't understand their partner's point of view. They often brought in other issues, rather than sticking to the topic at hand. They often jumped to the conclusion that they knew what their partner was thinking.
In addition, across all types of conversation, they demonstrated fewer positive behaviors than their non-anxious counterparts.
For example, they rarely took ownership over their own feelings and viewpoints using "I feel" statements. They rarely provided a rationale for why they agreed or disagreed with their partner. They didn't often show empathy toward their partner.
It's important to recognize that socially anxious people are not intentionally trying to be contentious, avoid taking responsibility for problems in their relationships, or withhold empathy from their partner.
In fact, they would probably be mortified that they are having that effect on their partner. Rather, socially anxious people are often "living in their heads."
Many socially anxious people continually monitor themselves to ensure that they are coming across favorably and not doing anything that would make them "look stupid," even when they are interacting with someone they know very well, such as a romantic partner.
Researchers have coined a term for this phenomenon: self-focused attention. The problem with self-focused attention is that the socially anxious person's attention is divided — he is engaging in conversation, but he is also tracking his internal thoughts, emotions, and physiological sensations.
The end result is that he misses important social cues and interacts less effectively than he might otherwise. Over time, this interpersonal style can impair the strength of a socially anxious person's "connection" with another.
If you're in a relationship with someone struggling with social anxiety, here are some tips for making your relationship work.
1. Make benign attributions for their behavior.
An attribution is an explanation that we give for why things happen, such as why someone treats us as they do. When your partner interacts in a way that seems unhelpful or off-putting, it's easy to get upset by making a malicious attribution like, "She just doesn't care enough."
In contrast, a more benign attribution would be something like, "I bet she didn't mean to come across that way. She struggles with communication."
Research shows that relationships are more likely to last when partners make benign attributions for one another's behavior, relative to when they make malicious attributions.
2. Don't make assumptions.
Social situations that might seem fun and exciting to you might seem torturous to your partner. When making plans for social events, like family gatherings and date nights, check in first with your partner to make sure that he thinks it will be enjoyable.
If he expresses concern, strive to understand his hesitation, rather than assuming that he'll just go along with the plan and be fine once he gets there.
3. Learn to compromise.
If you and your partner differ significantly regarding the degree to which you find social gatherings fun and enjoyable, you will probably have to make some compromises.
Have an intimate evening at home on occasion, rather than going out in public. Find a close friend or family member who will accompany you to social gatherings that are particularly challenging to your partner.
That being said, you don't need to compromise all the time. Both of you are equal partners in the relationship and it's important that you get your needs met, as well. Besides, if your partner avoids most or all social gatherings, her anxiety will only get worse.
4. Have accurate expectations.
When your socially anxious partner does accompany you to a social gathering, he will probably come across as shy. He might not contribute a lot to the conversation.
At times, he might seem uncomfortable. Just remember that it took a lot for him to get there and that he might not "perform" to your standards.
5. Give gentle feedback about their communication style.
Your socially anxious partner might very well exhibit some of the characteristics of ineffective communication. You can play an important role in helping her to acquire more effective communication skills.
However, it's important that you do so in a way that is empathic and non-critical. If your partner says something that seems dismissive or off-putting, rather than firing back with a tone of annoyance or exasperation, you can say something like, "Here's the message I just got when you said that. Was that what you were intending?"
If the message you got was different than what she intended, you can give her feedback as to how to communicate her message more effectively (e.g., "Now I see where you're coming from. It would help me to understand that if you approached your request like this...").
Similarly, when your partner does communicate effectively, give her feedback so that she can apply the same style in the future. Thus, giving feedback to your partner is critical in helping her to learn, but the feedback must be given in a gentle, patient, nonjudgmental, and helpful manner.
6. Accept your partner for who they are.
Relationships are never optimal when one partner is trying to change the other. Remember that social anxiety is only one small part of who your partner is.
Be sure to acknowledge the other parts, especially the strengths that attracted you to him in the first place. Your partner will likely very much appreciate the fact that you are in his corner.
Although being in a relationship with a socially anxious person can have its challenges, when you think about it, don't all relationships have their challenges? The key to addressing these challenges is to view them in a balanced manner, approaching them from a perspective characterized by acceptance, empathy, and respect.
You ultimately may decide that this isn't the relationship for you and that's ok. You have the right to choose the relationship that works best for your own needs, preferences, and character strengths.
Dr. Amy Wenzel is a clinical psychologist, author, and consultant who specializes in anxiety issues, couples/marital Issues, depression, and life management.